The movement of fluids is used in numerous devices and applications to achieve desired results. For example, convection and impingement ovens move heated air or gas into a cooking chamber to enhance the rate of cooking. Impingement freezers move cold air or gas into a freezing chamber to enhance the rate of product freezing. Personal watercraft move water (e.g., water jets) for propulsion. Heater and air conditioners move temperature controlled air. But with many devices, including those listed above, there is a continual demand to achieve higher performance without increasing the size or footprint of the device. Higher performance in devices that operate by fluid movement often times requires higher fluid flow rates. However, significant engineering problems arise when attempting to achieve such higher flow rates within devices that have limited space to handle the fluid flow. Such problems arise when attempting to “turn” the flow of fluid within confined spaces, as fluid turbulence (e.g., rotational turbulence) is created and reduces the efficiency of the circulation means (e.g., a blower).
One area where such problems have been encountered is with impingement ovens. While various conveyorized impingement oven designs are known and available for commercial food service applications, there continues to be demand for higher performance, cost-effective ovens. One approach manufacturers have taken to improve air flow into the cooking cavity is to use multiple blowers. But when one blower is positioned closely to another, or if a blower is positioned in a confined space, air flow (and hence cooking efficiency) is negatively affected due to turbulence, particularly rotational turbulence.
The present invention provides a design for a fluid delivery system that significantly reduces the negative affects of turbulence encountered when fluids are forced to flow and turn in a confined area. In the present application, the fluid delivery system is described in the environment of a conveyor-impingement oven having multiple blower wheels in close proximity to each other, an environment that creates significant rotational turbulence adjacent the blower intakes. However, the solution to reducing turbulence that negatively impacts the efficiency of a fluid blower means described herein is not limited to impingement or convection ovens, but has application to any fluid delivery system.